WIXLIB

GEIntelligent PlatformsOPC UA: Enabling the Industrial InternetReducing Costs and Saving Timewith Greater InteroperabilityEvery OPC standard has been widely accepted by theautomation industry to improve interoperability. TheOPC Foundation’s latest set of standards, OPC UA, aren’tnew. However, additional sections are still being released,including the discovery-related Part 12, to address thechanging needs of the automation market.Standards for interoperability are even more critical today,as key enablers of the Industrial Internet. In order to “GetConnected,” our devices and systems must communicate –and do so using secure-by-design methodologies.OPC UA facilitates this journey to improved communication,enhanced security, and self-configuring systems. Also, asmore and more OPC UA-based products become available,the industry reaches a critical mass to ease communicationand modeling.OPC Classic Specifications66 6OPC Data Access (OPC DA): Definesthe exchange of data includingvalues, time and quality informationOPC Alarms & Events (OPC AE):Defines the exchange of alarmand event type message information,as well as variable states and statemanagementOPC Historical Data Access(OPC HDA): Defines query methodsand analytics that may be applied tohistorical, time-stamped dataOPC UnifiedArchitecture (OPC UA):A platform-independent, serviceoriented architecture that integratesall the functionality of the OPC Classicspecifications and is backwardcompatible with OPC Classic*Information from www.OPCFoundation.org

GEIntelligent Platforms3 Ways OPC UA and GE Enable the Industrial InternetWorking closely with the OPC Foundation, GE is the firstcompany to implement and release a new Global DiscoveryServer (GDS) based on the pending* OPC UA Part 12 –which enables the Industrial Internet with improved easeof secured connectivity across devices and equipment.The GDS automatically discovers OPC UA devices on thenetwork and connects to them with no configuration,saving time and reducing costs.GE has standardized on OPC UA as an interoperabilitystandard across several GE businesses. With OPC UAand the Global Discovery Server, GE further enables theIndustrial Internet with:666Improved ease of connectivity across devicesand equipment (Standards)Enhanced secure-by-design methodologies (Security)Significantly richer context for data (Models)EGDProprietaryModbusProfinetECATIndustry Standard ProtocolsSystems that speak the same languageSecurityTrusted communicationsAuthenticateEncrypt*Pending as of June 2015Data ModelsTurn data into knowledgeKnowledgeInformationData

GEIntelligent PlatformsEvolving OPC Standards for Greater InteroperabilityAs an interoperability standard, OPC UA is a lot richerin terms of the types of information and context. Keydifferences between OPC UA and the past standardsinclude:66OS independent communication standard – Goingwell beyond Microsoft Windows to also includeUNIX, Android, iOS, and more.Client server architecture – The clients requestdata from the server or can receive unsolicitedinformation from the server. In a typicalindustrial environment, the server is the PLC,and a system such as the SCADA representsthe clients. The SCADA can also be a serverto other clients. With OPC UA, you havesignificant architectural flexibility.6All encompassing – Data, alarms andconditions, historical data – with added context.6Robust data modeling – More than just a datapoint, you can model an asset or an object withproperties such as a motor with speed, temperature,and other properties.OPC Then and Now*In 1996, the OPC Foundation releasedits first standard – which facilitatedexchanges between PLCs and HMI/SCADA. At the time, there were manyproprietary communication protocols,mostly developed by PLC vendors,which created isolated islands ofinformation.Today, the OPC UA specificationsaddress new security and datamodeling challenges associated withservice-oriented architectures, and atthe same time provide a feature-richtechnology open-platform architecturethat is future proof, scalable andextensible.*Information from www.OPCFoundation.org6Secure-by-design, IT-friendly communications.

GEIntelligent PlatformsDriving the Right Outcomes in Your BusinessWith OPC UA, you can:DiscoverConnectSecure-by-DesignReduce your communicationsconfiguration time and costs:With a standard way to communicate, you can easeconfiguration, discover devices and connect faster.”Instead of “With a standard way to communicate .Also, OPC UA makes it easier to maintain your systems.Commissioning of systems is faster, and it is easier tomake changes – which saves you time and ultimatelyreduces costs.Drive secure-by-design connectivity:OPC UA provides encryption and certificate managementin order to enable secure-by-design connectivity.DiscoverDataImprove reliability and redundancyfor higher uptime:With OPC UA, you can take advantage of all the ways tobuild a system that stays up and running. OPC UA supportsredundant cabling. As an example, you can have a SCADAserver with redundant OPC UA clients. Also, for reliablecommunications, OPC UA provides mechanisms to ensureyour data gets transferred.Connect to your multiple platformsfor greater flexibility:OPC UA supports more than just Windows applications, soyou’re not bound by one OS. If you have clients and serversthat are not Windows based, such as PLCs, Android devicesand iOS devices, you can still take advantage of OPC UAcompliant connectivity.ConfigureLeverage data from legacy systemsfor improved intelligence:Don’t forget about your old islands of data. With OPCUA, you can capture that data and add context to it. Forexample, if you would use GE HMI/SCADA software asyour OPC UA server to collect data from devices, your HMI/SCADA then acts as an aggregator for those legacy systems.You can even use the HMI/SCADA to send all of the collecteddata above the plant floor, enabling higher level systems.

GEIntelligent PlatformsGE Global Discovery Server: An Industry FirstThe GE Global Discovery Server is based on OPC UA Part12. This leading-edge technology is the first of its kind andbrings you new ways to reduce configuration time and costswhile enhancing security. The GDS provides:1. Server discovery6 Local discovery and global discovery6 Compliant servers broadcast their endpoints6 Provide list of available endpoints to clients forease of configuration2. Certificate management6 Acts as a certificate authority and store for UAclient and server connections6 Facilitates the exchange of certificates toenable easier tratorClient(HMI/SCADA)Device(PLC)*Single Sign-OnDeviceAdministratorClientAdministrator

GEIntelligent PlatformsBefore and After OPC UA and GE GDSSteps toward self-configuration and faster time to value– plus easier maintenance without IT resourcesBEFOREAFTERManual entry of end point addressAutomatically locate devices quicklyand easily throughout the siteCertificate Management was painful– time consumingFacilitates the exchange of certificateson behalf of the userManual synchronization of certificatesTake advantage of existingauthentication servicesSome devices cannot talk (“headless”)Implements push/pull for client/servers– Device initialization

GEIntelligent PlatformsEven if your devices don’t talk OPC UA they can still communicate.Because OPC UA is so new, many of your devices aren’t OPCUA compliant. And, that’s no problem.You can leverage a GE gateway, which provides a bridgefrom the traditional OPC DA or protocol-specific devicesto the OPC UA standard. This allows you to still maintain asecure-by-design connection with the bridge.For devices that are unaware of the GDS, you can use theGE Global Discovery Server Agent. The Agent registersdevices in the GDS for it. Also, the Agent can help managethe trust list and certificates, so you can enhance securityeven if devices are not GDS aware.GEGDSBrowser forRegistered ServerCommunicatingwith GDS-UnawareDevices6On behalf of UA Application: Registers OPC client or Server Obtains signed certificate Downloads trust listsGEGDS Agent6GEGDS AgentCreates certificatesand trust lists to updatethe client with Pushes updatedcertificates andtrust listsSecurecommunicationsOPC ClientOPC Server6Leverage the Agent tomake your system secureby-design even withoutGDS-aware devicesAgent populates thedevice directory on behalfof the serverManages certificateexchange for UA servers

GEIntelligent PlatformsContinuing the Journeyto Self-ConfigurationManaging Systems without IT SupportWith OPC UA, you can take another step toward self-configuration, increasinguse of secure-by-design methodologies, and managing systems without ITsupport with capabilities such as certificate management. Additionally, youcan use OPC UA’s object-based context with the structured data to improveoperations. You can automatically configure your database in a structuredmanner by creating objects instead of just adding points or tags.Working with GE and OPC UA, you will see a much more integrated experiencebetween hardware and software – including third-party devices. By autoconfiguring the HMI/SCADA application, you can save significant time andmoney, whether implementing systems yourself or through a partner.GE and OPCUAmove toward selfconfiguration6666Plug and play userexperience to providefaster time to solutionand value – reducingcostsModel for configuring GEand other smart devicesIntegrated userexperience for controland SCADAIntegrated userexperience for third-partyhardware

GEIntelligent PlatformsGet Connected:Your Assets, Your Plant, Your Global SitesAggregating Data Vertically and Horizontally – with ScalabilityWith newer standards and technologies, you have morepower to aggregate data – moving information bothhorizontally and vertically across assets and systems.Consider aggregating data to a server, then up to anotherserver, then another. This capability enables you to leveragethe power of the Industrial Internet and other advancedfunctions.SCADA(UA Client)Your communication is not limited to data flowing betweena SCADA and your PLCs. You have greatly enhanced abilitiesto aggregate and use data and information across devicesand systems.You can scale this communication and data aggregationnot only locally but across multiple sites around the world.That’s a new level of data- and information-sharing toimprove decision making in your business and drive towardkey outcomes.DATA Server(Enterprise)DATA Server(Plant 1)DATAServerDATAServerDATA Server(Plant 2)DATAServerFrom the plant floor to the cloudSCADA(UA Client)

For more information, visit:www.OPCFoundation.orgwww.geautomation.comGE Intelligent PlatformsGE Intelligent Platforms provides industrial software, control systems and embedded computing platforms to optimize our customers’ assets and equipment. Our goal is to help our customers growthe profitability of their businesses through high performance solutions for today’s connected world. Wework across industries including power, manufacturing, water, mining, oil & gas, defense and aerospace.A division of GE, we are headquartered in Charlottesville, VA.GE Intelligent Platforms contactAmericas: 1 800 433 2682 or 1 434 978 5100Global regional phone numbers are listed by locationon our web site at .com 2015 GE Intelligent Platforms, Inc. All rights reserved. *Trademark of GE Intelligent Platforms, Inc. All otherbrands or names are property of their respective holders. Specifications are subject to change without notice

between hardware and software – including third-party devices. By auto-configuring the HMI/SCADA application, you can save significant time and money, whether implementing systems yourself or through a partner. Continuing the Journey to Self-Configuration Managing Systems withou